Team North Ayrshire hosts two free events for island businesses

North Ayrshire Council is hosting two free events for Arran companies on Friday, October 23, at the Auchrannie Resort, Isle of Arran. The first event kicks off at 9.30am and focuses on innovation.

Joe McArdle from Scottish Enterprise will discuss with businesses how they can be more innovative to help them grow and what more they can do to protect their intellectual assets.

The second event will take place at 1.30pm and will consist of a workshop for family businesses.

Hosted by Team North Ayrshire’s partner, North Ayrshire Council, along with the Scottish Family Business Association, speakers include George Stevenson of Family Business Solutions and Martin Stepek of the Scottish Family Business Association.

Martin Stepek founded the Scottish Family Business Association with George Stevenson in 2005 as a non-profit organisation dedicated to helping family businesses.

Prior to this, Martin had been a co-owner and director of his family’s major electrical retail and travel agency business for 15 years. George Stevenson has spent 30 years running a fifth-generation business. Both he and Martin Stepek are leading authorities on family businesses and are asked to speak at seminars and conferences in the UK and further afield.

The workshop will provide local businesses with advice on how to realise the full potential of their business by exploring appropriate family involvement; give an insight into how to deal constructively with family dynamics that can impact on the business; as well as opportunities to share experiences, problems and solutions with other family business people and specialist advisors.

To book a place at the Innovation event and the Family Business event, please email Lauren from Business Gateway, Arran and Cumbrae: arranshand@googlemail.com or call 01770 302 676.